Simple Ways to Show Sympathy

Shutterstock / Lyudmila Mikhailovskaya

It doesn't take much: even a short message of condolence can be of comfort to someone who is grieving.

By: Jessica Campbell

7 years ago

This morning, my daughter's teacher stopped me in the hallway to say thank you. He had just seen the message that I'd posted in the online guest book for his mother, who died a couple of weeks ago. "I didn't even realize that it existed until my sister showed me," he said, and seemed moved that I had taken the time to find the guest book and sign it.

His "thank you" was a good reminder for me that it doesn't take much. Even a short message of condolence ("I'm so sorry for your loss" or "You're in our thoughts") from an acquaintance can be of comfort to someone who is grieving. We get busy and don't always take the time. But, fortunately, it doesn't take much.

Keep in touch. Send an email or card, leave a phone message, let the bereaved know you are thinking of them in the months after. Reach out to the survivors on the deceased's birthday, holidays like Mother's Day or Father's Day, or the anniversary of the death.